Chris Hook to return as Brewers pitching coach

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers today announced that pitching coach Chris Hook will return for the 2025 season. The announcement was made by Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Arnold.

“We are very pleased to welcome Chris Hook back to the coaching staff,” said Arnold. “Chris has been an invaluable asset to the Brewers as demonstrated by the success we have had on the mound over his six seasons as pitching coach. He consistently gets the most out of his pitchers year in and year out and we are happy to see that continue.”

Manager Pat Murphy added, “Chris Hook has had a tremendous impact on our entire organization over the last 17 years. He has a knack for helping pitchers who may have hit a bump in the road to lengthen and solidify their Major League careers. I’m excited to have him part of our staff going forward.”

The Brewers have qualified for the postseason in five of six seasons (2019-21, 2023-24) since Hook became pitching coach prior to the 2019 season. Under his leadership, Milwaukee ranks among the Major League top five since 2019 in strikeouts (2nd, 8,057), opponent batting average (3rd, .231), H/9IP (3rd, 7.80), K/9IP (3rd, 9.36) and ERA (5th, 3.84).

The Brewers have finished in the top five in the Major Leagues in ERA in three of the last four seasons: 2021 (3rd, 3.50), 2023 (1st, 3.71) and 2024 (5th, 3.65). The team has also posted its three highest strikeout totals for a single season under Hook, including a franchise-record 1,618 in 2021.

Hook, 56, recently completed his 17th season in the organization. Prior to joining the Major League coaching staff, he spent the 2018 season as pitching coordinator, sharing the role with Mark Dewey. He also served as pitching coach at Double-A Huntsville (2008, 2012-14), Class-A Wisconsin (2009-11) and Double-A Biloxi (2015-17).

Prior to joining the Brewers, Hook was a pitching coach with the Florence Freedom of the independent Frontier League (2003-07) and at the college level at Northern Kentucky University (2000-02).

The former right-handed pitcher played 11 professional seasons (1989-99) after signing with Cincinnati as a non-drafted free agent in 1989. Hook appeared in 55 games over two seasons (1995-96) in the Major Leagues with San Francisco and also pitched in the farm systems with San Diego, California and Houston.